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Hand grip for crutches, walkers, canes and other ambulatory devices

Hand grip for crutches, walkers, canes and other ambulatory devices description/claims

The present invention is directed, in certain embodiments, to hand grips for ambulation aids such as crutches, walkers and canes.

This invention was the subject of U.S. Patent Office Disclosure Document Number 526521, filed Feb. 20, 2003.

Ambulation aids, such as crutches, walkers, and canes employ hand grips, which are commonly cylindrically-shaped. These conventional hand grips are usually made of hard plastic or soft pliable plastic or have foam padding around a tubular core. These conventional hand grips are the source of discomfort, primarily because much of the force employed by an operator in supporting the body and much of the force transferred along the crutch are both transferred through an operator's hands at the hand grips. The exterior surface of the cylindrically-shaped hand grips generally engage the hand of the operator between the thumb and forefinger.

Conventional cylindrical hand grips concentrate pressure on the valor aspect of the palm and the adductor pollicis muscles located in the web of the hand between the thumb and the forefinger. Concentrating pressure on this area of the hand results in the compression of the median, ulnar and palmar nerves, as well as the ulnar and palmar arteries. Such compression restricts the blood flow and results in nerve entrapment syndromes, specifically carpal tunnel syndrome. Prolonged excessive loading in the region of the adductor pollis muscles can result in injury to the proper palmar digital nerves of the thumb and the flexor pollicis longus tendon.

Additionally, conventional cylindrical hand grips do not properly axially align the hand and wrist of the ulna and radius bones of the arm. By promoting dorsal flexation of the wrist, the grasping of the conventional cylindrical hand grip results in increased tensional stress on the tendons, nerves and blood vessels on the palmar side of the wrist; the wedge-shaped anticular disc of cartilage separating the radius and ulna bones of the arm is forced from the lunate and scaphoid bones of the wrist into the interface between the arm and the wrist. The compression of the disc forces the bones apart and places compressive stress on the radial, medial, and ulnar nerves, blood vessels and ligaments.

Misalignment of the wrist and arm is particularly exacerbated by ambulation devices employing cylindrical hand grips, as the elongated support member is frequently at an acute angle to the vertical. As the entire weight of the operator is frequently placed on the hands, while the crutch shafts are disposed in an acute angle to the vertical, an operator is susceptible to injuries to the hands and wrists.

After an operator experiences the discomfort and fatigue from using the conventional cylindrical hand grips in ambulation devices, the degeneration of skin, nerves, tendons, and cartilage in the hands and wrists follows, as do fatigue, loss of strength and pain.

Currently, the commonly employed hand grips for ambulation aids, such as crutches, walkers, and canes, do not address these problems.

Hand grips for ambulation aids, such as crutches, walkers, canes, and other ambulatory devices in certain prior art embodiments describe and claim specific structures for varied purposes.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,850 (Mertz) describes an orthopedic hand grip for ambulation aids, tools and other implements. This elongated, generally cylindrical hand grip has an elongated body, the longitudinal axis of which extends outwardly and transverse to the support member of the ambulation aid. The contoured shape of the hand grip, the indentations for the fingers at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support member prevent rotation of the hand about a longitudinal axis of the body and maintain the wrist and arm of the user in axial alignment with the support member.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,878 (Dellis) describes a moldable hand grip. This elongated, generally cylindrical hand grip has an elongated body. The moldable shape of the hand grip, permits for the individualized shaping of the grip to the palm and fingers of a particular operator.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,416 (Caruthers) describes a grip-facilitating handle. An operator's hand fits into a chamber, and the palm of the operator rests on a convex inner surface. The handle is disposed radially outward from an existing handle. In use, the operator's hand is maintained at a naturally curved, at rest position, and a forceful grip is not necessary, thus reducing fatigue.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,853 (Inbar) describes a crutch construction with a hand rest designed to be engaged by the peripheral portions of the palm of an operator's hand. This hand rest avoids the requirement of the user curling his fingers around the hand rest is gripping relation in the bar-type grip. The hand rest includes a ball element, which fits into a socket for universal movement.

This invention presents a type of hand grip for a crutch, a walker, a cane and other ambulatory device and method of use which provides ease of operation and decreases the damage to an operator's hands by employing a minimum of components in the apparatus and a minimum of contact on surface area of an operator's hands.

This invention is an improved hand grip for a crutch, a walker, a cane and other ambulatory device, consisting of a body portion and an attachment means. The body portion includes a base, an upper exterior surface, a generally convex region, and at least one concavity on the upper exterior surface.

The base of the body portion has a front, a rear, at least one side, a first longitudinal axis, and an underside. The upper exterior surface of the body portion has a first region attached to the rear of the base and a second region attached to the at least one side of the base, and a third region attached to the front of the base. The generally convex region of the body portion is bounded by the rear of the base, at least one side of the base, and the front of the base. The generally convex region of the body portion further includes the first region of the upper exterior surface, the second region of the upper exterior surface and the third region of the upper exterior surface. The at least one concavity on the upper exterior surface is located between the first region of the upper exterior surface, the second region of the upper exterior surface, and the third region of the upper exterior surface.

The attachment means is attached to the base for fixably attaching the body portion to at least one support structure of a crutch, a walker, a cane or other ambulatory device.

In other embodiments, the base is elongated along the first longitudinal axis, and the underside of the base of the body portion is contoured, and in some embodiments the contoured underside receives at least one finger of an operator.